Morning, Piper
by KatieCharlotte
Summary: Aerrow waits for this moment every day, when the sun rises and Piper shines...


**Author's note: whilst writing the fanfic, _Come Back to Me_, this idea got lodged in my brain and wouldn't leave me be. So in between sections of the larger fanfic I took to writing it out because I liked the idea. I guess you've heard it from Piper's point of view, so here's Aerrow's point of view regarding the girl who means so much to him. Stars and Suns... it does kind of link with _I'll Give You the Stars_ with the whole astrology thing coming into play. Maybe now, once _Come Back to Me_ is finished, I'll have satiated my own appetite for Aerrow and Piper.**

**.... anyway, I digress. enjoy this :) it didn't take me long, and please point out any errors to me. many thanks, Katie, x**

**Extra author's note ~ having recently just used John Donne's poem _The Sunne Rising_ in an English literature piece, i have come to realise that the poem must have influenced the sub-conscious part of me XD check out the poem if you like this story and be amused at the similarity between them. :)**

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_Morning, Piper_

It's 6.00 am and the Condor is silent, I like it that way, it makes this moment all the more magical; right now I'm lying in my bed, simply waiting for the sun to rise, just as I do every morning. Except, each day seems to take an eternity to begin, the more I long for those first golden rays of light, the longer they take to appear, as though they enjoy testing my tolerance; it's as though they know that with the rising of the sun comes something much more spectacular, and something much more beautiful and they're jealous because of it. I will endure time, because simply knowing that I have the honour of witnessing this beautiful moment keeps me patient.

Sometimes, I think about nudging her awake a little early, but I know that that is cruel and I'm afraid that my interference will steal the beauty of the moment away from me; I know that I must wait, and wait I will; because it's all worth it, in the end.

Piper is worth the wait; in fact, I would wait forever for her… thankfully, I only have to wait until the sun rises. Because when the sun rises, it will be her eyes that light up the room.

I stir underneath the thin cotton sheets, they are cool against my skin and I turn to get closer to her warm, slumbering body; my toes brush against her leg and the contact makes my nerves jump with excitement and passion, memories of the night just passed flooding my mind and making me smile wildly like a love-crazed fool. Just thinking about her bare body beside me fills my own with an overwhelming desire that I find hard to control, for a second I'm an immature boy again, giddy with exhilaration; I glance underneath the covers and look at her, her slender body curled up delicately, face partially hidden by her mop of blue hair, and I see that even now, she is beautiful.

There is something particularly breath-taking about Piper in the mornings, just before she awakens; never really being one for words I can only describe it as imperfect perfection. Her hair is crumpled and untidy, her face is creased by the pillow beneath and there is a slight hint of morning breath and yet I look upon her and know that she is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes upon; there is something quite dazzling about her smooth, dark skin and her sharp cheek bones and her peaceful expression, and all I can do is gaze in wonder, lost in my own thoughts as I reflect over the times I've spent with her.

She sighs in her sleep and the sound soothes me; dreamily, I raise a hand and gently caress her face, pushing away stray strands of her midnight blue hair. Every time our skin comes into contact, that bolt of passionate energy passes through my nerves again and I relish the experience; we were not made to be apart, we were made to be together, I never believed in fate until I fell in love with Piper, _now I do_.

I have been a Sky Knight for ten years now, time has been good to me and life has given me many things to be happy about; I have a loyal team that serves as both my friends and family, I have my health and my happiness, a home… and Piper: my best friend, my lover and my soul mate. Piper was and is my destiny, for ten years we have been bound together by our willingness to sacrifice ourselves for each other, when we became one forever.

"_If we gotta go down, at least we're going down together…"_

I have never looked back since that moment, because that was when I changed, when I experienced a love I never really thought possible; Piper always says to me that it takes courage to truly love someone, and she's right, she's _always_ right, because love is a two way street, you can't receive without giving. Love depends on trust, and thankfully I trust my navigator with my life; I would gladly give it up for her if I so had to.

Sometimes I have nightmares about that moment when we were hanging on for our very lives and when it seemed that Cyclonis had won the war for the Atmos; there are times when I do not catch Piper, when her hand slips through my own weak grip and I watch, helpless, as she falls to her death in the wastelands below. I cling to the terra for only a second more, just long enough to hear the laughter of Dark Ace sounding above me, and then… I let go; the air rushes past my face and then I hear the dull thud of my own broken body crashing against the ground before I'm suddenly awake, safe in my bed, sweating and crying with Piper (thank the gods) beside me.

When that happens, she is awake in an instant and her surprisingly strong arms will wrap around me and draw me into her body; sometimes I cannot fall asleep again, too afraid of what images I might see, and so she stays awake with me. I rest my head upon her chest and she runs her hands through my hair, gently humming a lullaby to me as though I am a child until my eyes close and I drift off to a peaceful sleep; on those nights, when I awake in the morning, Piper is still holding me, watching over me as I dream. When she realises that I have woken, she will look into my eyes, smile and kiss me, silently rejoicing, simply knowing that I am well rested.

Other times, it is she who will have the nightmare and I will assume the role of protector; I do not know what happens in her dreams but I know that they terrify her very soul to a point that I too am scared. She wakes screaming, tears streaming down her face and her body shivering with shock and fear; I pull her to me and nurse her, rocking her back and forth until the panic has subsided and her mind is clear once more. After times like that, neither of us can sleep again, no amount of comfort will convince my navigator to close her eyes and rest; she never tells me what she's seen, but I believe I know her well enough to know what it is that haunts her, or rather… _who_ haunts her. Piper has not fully forgiven herself for the death of Master Cyclonis, and I know that she relives the moment of her demise a little too often for her to cope with; just thinking about that makes me angry, the girl has been dead for almost five years and yet still she manages to destroy Piper's peace of mind…

_It isn't fair._

Such nights are rare though, most are like the night just passed, peaceful and calm; even when we make love, even though we are passionate and fuelled with uncontrollable desires, the physical bond strengthens the connection of our spirits and creates a feeling that everything is right with the Atmos. I have never experienced anything quite as wonderful; holding her in my arms, I know that I will never be able to truly let go. Even when she walks a few feet away from me, she takes a part of me with her; we can never be without each other.

Piper stirs and rolls closer towards me, I extend my arms and let her cuddle close to my chest; there is a smile resting upon her smooth lips and I know that she is having a good dream. My body experiences short bursts of pleasure every time she breathes against my skin, and suddenly my impatience increases; the room has an orange tint now, the sun is almost up and for the next ten minutes I watch it slowly brighten and spread across my floor… it is nearly time.

But I am not waiting for _that_ sun; I am waiting for _my _sun… Piper is my sun; she is the single most spectacular being in existence and my whole world revolves around her. She keeps everything working perfectly, she holds us all together and she shines brighter than any star; there is no darkness, there is only light, _her_ light.

The mornings are always magical; with the dawn, there is a feeling of awe as anyone blessed enough to be awake watches the great sun god take to his throne in the clouds. Very few witness this scene, when the sun is at is most glorious; its golden rays mixing with the pinks and blues of the early morning sky… it is a picture like no other.

…with one exception.

I have waited, and now my patience will be rewarded, her moment has come…

The sun's rays finally break through my window and illuminate her body with its golden beams; I watch, enraptured, as she stirs, frowning a little as the light disturbs her slumber. There is a pause as she murmurs and rolls onto her back, letting the light fall upon her beautiful face. And then, finally… Piper opens her eyes and I am blinded by the beauty I see before me.

My soul and body are bathed in an enchanting mixture of golden browns and vibrant oranges, I witness the dawning of the sun within her eyes and I can barely speak or move; every morning I experience this moment, just as every morning the sun rises. But with each passing day, the moment grows more magical. It is as though I know that one day, the sun will cease to shine, as though one day, Piper will not open her eyes and my world will be left in the darkness; I must cherish this moment until that time comes, because when the sun dies, I shall die too.

Piper is looking at me, her glorious tangerine eyes wide; her expression is one of wonder and elation and I can't help but wonder. What does she see when she looks into my eyes? Surely nothing as spectacular as when I look at her…

She looks so young and innocent in my arms, as though waking from her dreams has left her momentarily confused; but her smile grows as I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer to me, I kiss her forehead and nuzzle my face into her thick hair. I have everything I need right here: Piper, morning breath and all.

Touching her neck and lifting her head gently so that I can see her eyes once more, my own childish smile reappears as I welcome the rising of my sun…

"_Morning, Piper."_


End file.
